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Living Creatively with Fibro | Dental Filling and Fibromyalgia

Updated: Managing a dental filling with Fibromyalgia

This week I was unlucky enough to have my second Dental Filling within the space of about a month! I will confess I am not great with dental treatment (let’s be honest, any treatment) but dental even more so because I have a small mouth.

I’m sure those people that know me well and know how much of a chatterbox I can be will find it hard to imagine that I have a small mouth. Well physically, I do!

The January Dental Filling

It had been quite some time since I last had any dental treatment and this was long before the Fibromyalgia reared its head. Firstly I asked for the numbing gel to prepare me for the needle, from memory at my previous dentist when I had this I could not feel the needle at all. On this occasion, I did feel the needle going in my mouth and the pain level was even worse when the numbing was injected into me.

Interestingly the area covered was quite large. Comparing notes with Michael later he said when he has a lower jaw injection it goes about as far as the top of his nose. Mine, in comparison, went higher than my temple and further back than my ear.

Obviously once numb the business of the filling was as per usual the pronounced difference seemed to be the effects as the numbing wore off. I had a small window of about an hour when the numbing had worn off and all seemed back to normal, in the past when I have experienced fillings this would be the end of things.

However, this time my nerves started complaining. The area between my jaw, ear and nose had what I can only describe as an electrical storm going on. The nerves were pulsing, I developed an earache which felt hot and I basically had to sit with my hand against my cheek to try and soothe the area. My standard co-codamol did nothing to help this at all. These sensations happened for about three hours, they finally wore off about an hour after taking my Amitryptaline but I am unsure if the timings were related or if that was how long this would have lasted anyway.

No two fillings are the same

The February Dental Filling

First, let me say I am sorry if the image above upset anyone.  A visit to the dentist is a common cause of Phobias, when treatment is involved I have a bit of a phobia of dentists myself!

My second dental filling was a very different experience, here is an account of what happened.

Just like the first time the dentist used the numbing gel before injecting the local anaesthetic. Although I could still feel the needle going in I did not have the horrible sharp pain when the fluid was injected. Unlike the previous experience, I found that there was not enough numbing used and the Dentist had to inject me a second time. Even with this second injection, I could still feel some nerve pain, a little bit like the sensation of ice-cream touching a sensitive tooth. Although uncomfortable it was not enough pain to ask for another needle!

The next marked contrast was when the numbing started wearing off.  The first area to clear was my mouth as I was able to eat small pieces of food (King Prawns if you are curious) fairly shortly after I returned home. My face took much longer to regain all it’s sensation though. Once the feeling came back I prepared myself for the nerve “lightening fork style” sensations to begin like last time. I can happily report though that this didn’t occur at all.

To sum up

Both dental fillings were on my lower jaw, the first was on the right-hand side and the second was on the left, I’m not sure if this makes any difference though.

I’d love to hear from anyone else with Fibro who has had similar experiences with nerve sensations or from anyone without Fibro who has had unusual experiences too… is this just a spoonie thing?

Until next time,
Gentle Hugs,
Susan


Comments

2 responses to “Updated: Managing a dental filling with Fibromyalgia”

  1. Hi!
    I had a filling today and I’m in immense pain, I’m fairly new to how fibromyalgia effects different things. My normal painkillers aren’t really getting rid of the pain, it’s incredibly frustrating.
    How did you deal with it?

    1. Hi Bailey, I’m sorry I didn’t answer your question quicker. I’m hoping you are in less pain now. When I had my filling I took my prescription painkillers as usual but other than this it really was a case of trying to distract myself. Pain in teeth is one of those areas that I have not come up with any alternative remedies for. I am quite good at distracting myself though with mindful activities. If these do not work I switch to good TV or a movie and if I am beyond that even, my final solution is to go to bed and sleep. I’m sorry I do not have anything more physical to suggest.

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